


Not so bad luck after all

by journeythroughtherain



Series: Winteriron Week 2019 [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Confessions, F/M, Female Bucky Barnes, Getting Together, Pining Tony Stark, accidental confessions, as in they're in a play, fake weddings, that is totally not being set up for the sole purpose of getting them together nope, tony is a sweetheart, why would anyone do that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-09 23:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19896373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeythroughtherain/pseuds/journeythroughtherain
Summary: Tony is living in a conspiracy, he's sure of it. Why else would he be cast as the "dashing love interest" to the heroine in a play written by one of his best friends, whom also coincidentally knows about his crush on the leading lady?For day 2 of Winteriron Week.





	Not so bad luck after all

**Author's Note:**

> For Winteriron Week day 2:  
>  _Weddings / “You done yet?” / High School/College AU_
> 
> Also doubles as fills for the following bingo squares:  
> TSB square K3 - "Arranged Marriage"  
> BBB square C2 - "Winteriron (Bucky/Tony)"

Okay, he can do this. His nerves are entirely because it's the opening night of their play, it has nothing to do with him going to talk to his crush one on one. Curse Jan for making _him_ be the one to check up on his co-star. And curse Nat for having written the play in the first place, making him stand on that stage and act it out like he is only _pretending_ to be in love, when in reality he's head over heels and she knows it. He shakes himself off, takes a deep breath and releases it, then raises his hand and knocks.

There's some noise coming from within, and a voice he recognizes — one he'd recognize anywhere — grumbling something that sounds like "hold on", but he asks just to be sure.

"Uh... You done yet, with the costume, I mean? Can I come in?"

There's some shuffling, then the sound of the door being unlocked, then some more shuffling. Tony takes the invitation for what it is and enters the dressing room. 

His first impression is that it is surprisingly _messy_. He's always had the impression that the girls' room would be tidier than the boys' somehow, but there are piles of clothes and props left everywhere. Distracted as he is by the revelation he's having, he doesn't spot Jamie until he hears a series of disgruntled curses coming from the makeshift vanity bench on the other side of the room. He's about to ask what's wrong when he gets his first glimpse of her and promptly stumbles over a discarded scarf in his haste to turn towards her to get a better look.

If he were to describe her in one word, it would be _stunning_. Jamie has always been gorgeous, with her flowing locks and piercing grey eyes, with the way she moves, and how the crowds part before her as if she's a predator locked on to a kill and no one wants to get in between her and her prey.

From the moment she’d first smirked at him, Tony had been lost. He’d accidentally stumbled into one of her training sessions with the school's boxing team (something he’d blamed entirely on Rhodey’s inability to give proper directions), and hadn’t been able to tear his eyes away from the sight. She’d caught him staring besottedly at the play of muscles across her shoulders and leveled him with the most cocky grin he’d seen, and that was it, he was gone. 

Now though, with the wedding dress she's wearing accentuating the strength of her arms and the assurance of her posture, and the heels making her tall as an amazon, she's positively _devastating_ , and Tony feels himself falling all over again. 

He must've made a sound, because suddenly grey eyes are meeting his, and he blushes at being caught staring _again_. Not that she hasn't seen him do it multiple times during their friendship, but that really doesn't help his case. 

"So, uh," he begins. Smooth. "Are you ready for opening night?"

Jamie snorts, and looks back into the mirror in front of her. "As ready as I can be, I guess, considering Jan didn't let me wear the dress before tonight. This skirt is surprisingly hard to move in." 

She stares at her reflection and fiddles with a loose lock of hair. She's holding a bobby pin in one hand, and Tony watches as she twists this way and that in attempt to fasten it to the bun someone has made of the rest of her hair. After her third back and forth of trying to get a good angle, Tony holds out a hand in offering. 

"May I?"

Jamie huffs, but relinquishes the pin and straightens out so Tony can secure the runaway lock where it belongs. He takes a step back once he's done, not wanting to linger unnecessarily. 

Jamie inspects his handiwork with a small smile, then backs away from the mirror only to let out a startled yelp as she steps on the hem of her dress and falls backwards. 

Tony is there in a flash, and manages to catch her before she hits the ground. She grumbles from where she's slumped over in his arms, before she looks up at him and promptly breaks out in laughter at his expression.

"Don't worry, even if I did fall I've taken worse before," She says, then grabs at his arms for support as she stands. "I guess what they say is true, having the groom see the bride before the wedding is bad luck," Jamie chuckles.

"I don't know, I think this is very lucky, because if I'd seen you like this for the first time on stage I'm pretty sure I would've forgotten all my lines."

Then his brain catches up with his mouth and he freezes. He really hadn't meant to say that out loud. Embarrassment rushes through him and flushes his face with heat, and he has never been so grateful for the heavy layer of stage makeup caked on his face as he is now.

"You... What?"

Jamie looks confused, mostly, but not immediately put off by his accidental almost confession. He might still be able to save it, somehow.

"Well, it's just that you look gorgeous— not that you usually don't, it's just even more prominent— I mean, from a _friend_ perspective, and definitely also from a romantic perspective, you look absolutely amazing, and I would've maybe been a bit distracted if I— If I wasn't prepared. Um."

He bites his cheek to make himself _stop talking_ , and then hides his face in his hands for good measure. Great, now Jamie probably thinks he's got a crush on her, which — while not wrong — could possibly mess up their friendship, and that's something Tony very much would like not to do.

"Uh, Tony?" Jamie says, a bit hesitantly, "Do you... Do you _like_ me?"

Sighing, Tony takes a moment to steel himself for the inevitable, before he looks up again.

"Yeah, I do. I have a crush on you."

To his surprise, the expression that crosses Jamie's face isn't disgust, or awkwardness, or pity — it's a blush, visible even with the makeup on, and Tony doesn't think he's ever seen Jamie look _shy_ before.

"I, uh," she begins, before shaking herself as if to get rid of the nervousness betrayed by her voice. Her eyes locks onto his own, the determination in them freezing him to the spot, completely at her mercy. He looks up in wonder as she closes in, raising her hand to his cheek. His gaze is caught on her eyes, then her lips, and he loses himself in the smile she gives him until she speaks up again.

"I have a crush on you too, Tony. Had it for ages now. I thought you knew about it, everyone else seemed to know."

Tony can only gape like a fish in surprise, not even caring how unattractive he must look.

"Really?"

She nods, smile spreading to a full grin. "Yes, really. How could I not? You're the sweetest guy I've ever met, and I love spending time with you. You listen to me when I talk about stupid stuff about boxing, or even stupider stuff about sci-fi. Your brain is amazing and I'd be happy listening to you ramble on about what's going on in there for hours on end. The excited look on your face whenever you show us something you've built makes me want to kiss you silly."

Tony lets out a squeak at that, which makes Jamie laugh. She holds his eyes as he feels her hand move lower on his chin, her thumb ghosting over his lips oh so lightly.

"Can I kiss you?" She asks, and there's nothing he can do but nod, all thoughts of the rest of the night, the play, and the wedding fleeing his mind at the feeling of her lips on his.


End file.
